Getting started.
Who this helps
Surviving spouses, children, or parents may qualify for DIC when VA’s relationship and service-related death rules are met. Children must meet VA’s age and marital-status rules. A surviving parent’s income must be below VA’s limit. Some surviving spouses or children may also qualify if a Veteran had a service-connected total disability rating for the required period before death. Survivors Pension may be available to surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet VA’s service, income, net-worth, and other rules. Children must be under 18, under 23 and attending an approved school, or unable to care for themselves because of a disability that began before age 18.
How to get started
A VA Regional Office or Pension Management Center processes the application. VA reviews the Veteran’s or service member’s military service and your relationship to them. For Survivors Pension, VA also reviews income and net worth. Processing time varies.
Choose your application.
Use VA’s DIC and Survivors Pension information to choose the form for your survivor status. A surviving spouse or child of a service member who died on active duty uses VA Form 21P-534a. A surviving spouse or child of a Veteran uses VA Form 21P-534EZ. A surviving parent uses VA Form 21P-535.
Gather claim records.
Collect military service records, doctor’s reports, or medical test results that support the claim. For Survivors Pension, also gather information about family income and net worth.
Send the application.
Upload the form through VA QuickSubmit, mail it to the VA Pension Intake Center, or bring it to a VA regional office. You can also work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization representative.
How they can help.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free benefit for some surviving family members. Survivors Pension provides monthly payments to qualifying spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans.
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
- Monthly Survivors Pension payments
- Claims for accrued survivor benefits
A few questions before you go.
Military service records, relevant doctor’s reports, or medical test results. For Survivors Pension, have information about family income and net worth ready.
- Could I qualify for DIC or Survivors Pension?
- Which records should I have ready?
- How long will my claim take?
- Could my child qualify based on age or school status?